


That Don't Sound Like You

by Wolf_Stevens



Series: Beaten Swan [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, Physical Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-12
Packaged: 2018-06-07 11:55:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6802771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolf_Stevens/pseuds/Wolf_Stevens
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>TW: Abuse. After returning from the Underworld and the death of Robin, H00k convinces Emma to leave Storybrooke with him. It is almost a year later and Regina and Henry go to save a now-broken Emma. SQ endgame (CS is only the problem)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I DO NOT OWN OUAT OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS. (IF I DID, REGINA AND EMMA WOULD BE TOGETHER ALREADY)
> 
> TW: THIS STORY CONTAINS REFERENCES/DESCRIPTIONS OF ABUSE.
> 
> AN: This story came to me while listening to the song That Don't Sound Like You by Lee Brice and seeing images/spoilers of the latest OUAT episode "Last Rites". OUAT is getting to be utter crap for the SQ community, and if you follow me on tumblr (wolfstevens) you would see that my blog expresses that in spades. So this is the first part of my fic and I hope everyone enjoys. Reviews are greatly appreciated! (and if you know me from facebook feel free to message me there as well!)

 

"I think Ma's in trouble." Regina looked up from the papers she was reviewing to see the worry etched on Henry's face. It had been nearly a year since they had all come back from the Underworld, since Regina felt that her happy ending had been ripped away when Hades killed Robin.

"Why do you think that Henry?" Regina asked as she looked back down at the report in her hand.

"Because she doesn't sound like herself when she calls," the teen stated. Regina released a sigh. She hadn't personally talked to the blonde since she left Storybrooke with the one-handed pirate when he came back to life. He had convinced Emma to leave the town to heal from being the Dark One and everything that had happened in the Underworld. It broke her when she saw the sadness in Henry when they watched Emma cross the town line. "I'm really worried about her Mom."

"I don't know what to tell you Henry," Regina said, setting the report down and looking at her son. Now at nearly 15 years old he was looking so much like a man that some days it shocked her. "Emma made her choice when she left."

"She should have stayed with us," he lamented. "We could have helped her." Regina felt a pang in her heart as she thought about it as well. After Robin died and she was alone, she often found that her thoughts would travel to memories and wonders of the Savior. "She didn't even see me make the game-winning pass at the homecoming game." Regina smiled sadly that his blonde mother missed out on such a significant moment in their son's life; she was happy he liked playing the quarterback position on the football team. She reached over and ran a hand through his shaggy brown hair that lately has been gaining more of a blonde highlight.

"I know my prince, but she left because she was hurting." She absently picked a piece of lint off of his t-shirt.

"You were hurting too Mom," Henry said. "You had just lost Robin, not that he was your True Love, but still."

Her hand paused over his shoulder as she took in the slip that Henry said. "What did you say?" she asked tentatively. Henry's eyes got big as he realized his own slip but sighed.

"Robin was never your True Love," he admitted, getting up and walking into her study. She followed him and watched as he reached for the top-most shelf ( _when did he get so big?_ she wondered to herself), pulling down a folder. "This showed up shortly after I became the Author, but you seemed so happy with Robin that I just tucked it away in here until you were ready." He handed her the folder, sporting a sheepish look that reminded her so much of Emma again.

She hesitantly took the folder from him and opened it, gasping at the image on the page. There, in full-page glory, was a picture of her and Emma kissing. The next page described the scene as that the Savior and the now reformed Queen were each other's True Loves. "Henry," she looked at the picture again, lovingly tracing her fingers over Emma's features. "I'm not sure what to do with this."

"We need to save her Mom," he stated simply. "Hook was meant to die and stay dead. Robin would have died sooner as well if you hadn't asked Ma to save him. In fact, he was supposed to have died in Camelot." Regina's gaze snapped up to the teenager's at the information, and he looked guilty. "Those pages were also written before we went to the Underworld to try to help Ma."

"Why didn't you tell us that Henry?" she asked, feeling hurt that her son had kept the information from her.

"I didn't want to see either of you be sad," he said. "You are both my moms, I just wanted you to be happy." She smiled sadly at him again and enveloped him in a hug. "I love both you and Ma."

"I love you too Henry," she said. It was a slight surprise to have their tender moment being interrupted by the ringing of the telephone. She let go of Henry and walked back to the table where her cell phone sat, and she frowned at the unfamiliar number. "Hello?" she answered.

"Regina, hi," the voice on the other line said, and it took Regina a moment to recognize it.

"Emma," she breathed, sitting down heavily in her chair. "How are you?"

"I'm okay," Emma stated, but Regina could feel that it was a lie. Emma's voice sounded exhausted, tired, and if she was hearing right, a bit scared.

"Really? You sound a bit tired," Regina commented, hoping to pry information from the blonde. She sat the folder on the table in front of her and flipped it open to the picture.

There was a light, breathy, not-quite-there chuckle. "I am. Been busy a lot."

"Are you happy?" Regina asked, not even thinking about what she was saying. Henry sat down and watched Regina.

"I love him," Emma stated, but the words sounded empty to Regina, and the brunette frowned.

"I wasn't asking about Hook, Emma," she said. "I was asking about you."

"I-" the blonde started but stopped. "This was a bad idea, I have to go," Emma rushed out, and this time Regina did hear fear in the voice before the line disconnected.

"Emma?" she asked to the dead phone, frowning as she looked at the ended call screen with worry.

"Mom?" Henry asked, concerned for the look that Regina was sporting. "What's wrong?" She glanced at the picture, knowing in her heart that the page spoke the truth. She had tried to pretend that Robin was supposed to be her happy ending because of Tink's pixie dust, but she also knew that pixie dust would only lead you to the soul that is most similar to your True Love if your True Love didn't exist yet. There were many attributes that both Robin and Emma had similar, but Emma had been there for her more than Robin was. Even as the Dark One, Emma was looking out for her. _She became the Dark One for you_ , a part of her mind screamed at her.

"Grab your coat Henry, we're going to go see your grandparents." Regina snatched up the folder and moved for the front door, Henry hot on her heels. It only took them a few minutes to drive out to the farm house that Snow and Charming had bought after their return. David was grinning as he greeted them both with a hug.

"What brings you out here Regina?" he asked as he ushered mother and son into the house.

"Regina," Snow greeted with a smile and moved to hug her. "Good to see you."

"You too Snow," Regina said, glad that the two of them had made up for their past. Over the past couple of years Regina would even say that their relationship has grown to that of family. "Have either of you talked to Emma lately?" The bright smiles of the young couple dimmed at the mention of Emma, Snow nodding a confirmation.

"She says she loves Hook," Snow said, but her tone was unbelievable.

"But you don't believe it," Regina stated. Snow turned and moved for the kitchen. David sighed.

"No, we don't," he confirmed. "But she made her choice. We want her to be happy, but it's not like we can leave Storybrooke to check on her." He led them into the kitchen where Snow had a cup of cinnamon cocoa ready for everyone.

"Do you know where they are living?" Regina asked as she held her mug. Snow and David both shook their heads, and Regina released a stressed sigh.

"What about doing a locator spell?" Henry asked, sipping from his mug. Three sets of eyes fell upon him.

"Because magic doesn't exist outside of the town limits," Regina huffed, setting the folder containing the picture on the counter so she could grip her mug with both hands. She noticed as Henry nervously looked around and shifted from one foot to another. "Henry?"

"Yeah?" he asked.

"What aren't you telling us Henry?" Snow asked, noticing the behavior as well.

"Magic does actually exist beyond the town limits, just not the way we are used to," he stated after a moment. "We could cast a locator spell that would give us an exact location, almost like a GPS coordinate." Regina gazed into her mug as she thought about it. "It'd be pretty ingenious, really, as long as the paper is enchanted to give us Ma's exact location at all times."

"That could actually work," Regina said slowly, her fingers still tracing the folder.

"Or I could just write that we found her address laying in the front seat of the car," Henry said cheekily.

"No abusing magic Henry," Snow chided, and he ducked his head. "Author or not, your power is a type of magic. We'd hate to see you end up like Isaac did." The group shared a collective shudder at the thought of the former Author.

"Sorry Grandma," Henry muttered. There was a soft cry of "Mama" from the other room, but before Snow could move Henry had already set his mug down. "I got uncle Neal, Grandma."

Once he was out Snow turned to Regina. "What's in the folder?"

"A revelation," Regina confessed, slipping the folder open. David and Snow took a step closer and both gasped at the sight of the picture.

"Is that?" David asked hesitantly.

"Me and Emma. Henry knew for a while apparently that we are supposed to be together, but hid it."

"Why would he do that?" Snow asked, turning the page so she could look closer.

"Because at the time both Emma and I were happy with Killian and Robin," Regina relayed, sipping her mug. Cocoa and cinnamon were an acquired taste, but she had found that she was missing the scent ever since Emma had left. "It apparently doesn't matter that Robin was my soulmate, he wasn't my True Love according to Henry."

"Well there is a difference in soulmate and True Love," David stated with a sympathetic look to Regina and she gave him a questioning stare. "A soulmate can possibly be a true love, but not always the case. Most times they are just a best friend, someone to rely on when you are down or in trouble."

"How do you know this David?" Regina asked.

Now David looked guilty as he answered. "I went to Blue to help Emma right before she left, but she refused. Tink was there and overheard us talking, then explained it all to me when I was about to leave." Instead of angering her the new information reinvigorated Regina's determination to go to Emma now.

"I need to go to Emma," Regina said, setting her mug down and grabbing the folder from Snow's grasp. "Now."

"Regina, wait," Snow said, placing a hand on her arm, stopping the brunette. "You don't know where she is yet, and we don't know what Killian is up to."

"If he hurt her…" Regina's anger flared at the thought of Emma being hurt by the pirate, and she shook her head. "I need to go rescue our girl Snow." Snow smiled at the words spoken.

"I only meant that you still need to find her. We want to help."

"Do you think they got a place under Emma's name or his?" David asked as he moved to a computer in the corner of the kitchen. Regina did a double take of the scene, but remembered that David had taken over as Sherriff and needed all the technology access for him to do his job anywhere.

"Most likely Emma's, it's not like Killian Jones or Captain Hook exist in this world on a legal stance," Regina said, walking over to him. David nodded and entered information into the search components of the site he was on, then hit search. A few records pulled up on Emma, most stating her minor crimes a few years before coming to Storybrooke.

"Here," David said after a few moments of looking, grabbing a piece of paper and a pen, writing the current address down. "She's back in New York."

"That's a bad part of town," Henry's voice startled them as he took the address from David, frowning. "I remember from when me and Ma were living there." He looked up at Regina. "We have to go save her."

"I'll go save her," Regina started stating, but Henry interrupted her.

"No, she's my mom too, and besides, you don't know New York like I do. I'm going."

"Henry, listen to your mother," Snow scolded, but Regina shook her head.

"No, he has a point. I'm not familiar with the world out there. That was always Emma and Henry's thing." Regina turned to look at her son. "You stay right by me."

"I'm not ten anymore Mom," he said with an eye roll. "I'm not going to be running off on you." She nodded and turned back to Snow and David.

"Be safe Regina," Snow said, enveloping her in a hug. "Bring our Emma home safe."

"I will Snow, I will."

**SQSQSQSQSQ**

Thirty minutes later Regina and Henry were crossing the town boarder. They made a quick pit stop back at the mansion to grab a couple of pairs of clothes and the Ice Queen's scroll to get back into town, as well as some snacks ("Can't go for a rescue road trip without snacks," Henry argued). Regina remembered that it would be a few hours before they would reach New York, and for some reason the time and distance was annoying her.

It was a surprise to hear her phone ringing, but Henry grabbed it and answered it, putting it on speaker since she was driving. "Hey Ma," he greeted happily.

"Hey kid," Emma said. "How are you doing?" Regina frowned at the tired raspiness she could here over the line.

"Doing good Ma," he answered. "I miss you."

"Miss you too kid," she said sadly. "So why are you answering your mom's phone?"

"We're coming to see you," he stated with a smile, thinking that Emma would be happy to see them.

"What?" Both Henry and Regina were alarmed at the raise in Emma's voice. "No, no, don't do that. Killian doesn't like surprise visits."

"We are already on our way, Miss Swan," Regina spoke up, not liking the scared tone in Emma's voice.

"No, Regina, please, just-just go back home, I'm fine." Henry frowned at the words. This wasn't the mom he remembered.

"Mom, what's going on? You sound scared," Henry asked.

"Do I? I-I mean, no, why would I be scared? Things are good here." There was a sound of a door opening in the background, and Hook's voice asking who was on the phone. "No one, Killian, some telemarketer," were the last words they heard before the line went dead on them.

"I really don't like this," Henry said as he leaned back in his seat. "I'm worried about her Mom."

"Me too Henry," Regina said. "I never really did like that pirate." She cast a glance at Henry and saw he still sported a scowl. "What?"

"What is he doing to her?" he wondered out loud as he stared out the window. "Ever since we came back from New York she's changed, it's like she broke." He pulled at the book in his backpack and started flipping through it. Regina felt guilt nagging at her, thinking that it was her fault that Emma had turned to the pirate. It was several miles later when Henry sighed. "Of course," he muttered.

"What?" she asked, fear creeping into her thoughts.

"No offense Mom, I love you and all but you did kind of fuck this up," Henry stated.

"Henry," she scolded at his use of language.

"It's true. She turned to Hook because she saw you with Robin. It's all written here."

"What are you talking about?"

"When we got back from the Underworld, after Ma left, I let the pen just write her history. This book is all about her." He stroked the edge of a page for a moment before continuing to explain. "It tells of everything, from when she was born until she left Storybrooke."

Regina was in awe that Henry made such a book. "Why not for the past year?" she asked.

"By the time I got to that point football practice started," he said guiltily. "I haven't written anything since." Regina nodded in understanding. Mid-summer had started said practices, and Henry was almost always busy either eating, sleeping, or working out. Once school actually started he even had to contend his schedule with his homework.

"Well please explain to me how I messed up the situation," she stated, fearing the answer but also didn't want to drive in silence.

"Ma has been in love with you for a while now," Henry stated, his fingers skimming over the paper. "She just didn't know how to handle the feeling because of how she grew up. So she tried to keep herself distanced from you emotionally. It was some time in Neverland that she decided she needed to tell you, but then Pan's curse hit after we got home and she never got the chance."

"She's in love with me?" Regina wondered out loud, awed at the fact that her feelings weren't one-sided, but they were both too stubborn with their feelings to even share.

"Yes, keep up Mom, god," Henry scoffed but she saw his smirk from the corner of her eye. "It was Hook that got us from New York as you know, and when we got back she was on a mission to find out what happened with everyone's memories and then Zelena, and by the time she wanted to say something to you, you had already started your relationship with Robin."

"Because I thought that's what the pixie dust had led me to."

"Mom, pixie dust can lead you to a soulmate, but there are more than one kind of soulmate. And like Grandpa said, there is a difference between a soulmate and a True Love."

"I'm getting that now, Henry, thank you."

"Well, when she saw you happy with Robin she felt like she had lost her chance at a happy ending like you did a while back. Hook saw her vulnerability and took advantage of it, and because she wanted to feel even remotely happy she fell for him. But she's not, not really." Henry closed the book and resumed looking out the window. "I couldn't understand why she still wanted to be with him even after he tried to kill us all, but she felt guilty about everyone following her into the Underworld, and about what happened to Robin. Hook played her at her weakest." Regina felt a surge of anger towards the pirate. Only reason she went to the Underworld with Emma was to help the blonde have her happy ending like she thought she was having with Robin. Emma had strived so hard to save everyone, to make everyone else happy. Hook was taking advantage of that.

"We'll save her Henry, I promise," Regina says with determination, reaching over and grasping her son's hand.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I finally watched Last Rites. My thoughts: JFC, WTF, THIS IS SHITTY ASS FUCKING WRITING? WHO THE FUCK WAS IN CHARGE OF THIS?! I WANT TO KICK SOME FUCKING ASS! THIS IS UTTER FUCKING BULLSHIT! (in case you can't tell, the cuss words come out when I am pissed off). They had Robin treating Regina like shit, then had her rolling over to him. I did like how everyone was telling Emma no, because her head WASN'T in the damn game. The part that ROYALLY PISSED ME OFF though was that they did indeed bring back the one-handed abuser. He did a good deed, whoopty do (roll eyes). WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED is he agreed to move on to the afterlife, only being granted a few minutes with Emma in a final goodbye. "Hey love, Zeus granted me this moment to tell you that I'm going to be okay, I'm going to the good place. I need you to move on and love again." Ugh, I wanna go to the writing room and smack some heads around…
> 
> Okay, rant over on that. I hope you all enjoy the next part here. Feel free to review, pm me, or hit/friend me on fb.

When Regina and Henry left Storybrooke it was still midday, but by the time they were reaching the limits of New York the sun was starting to set. Regina pulled into a better looking hotel and booked a room for herself and Henry for the night.

"Do we have to wait Mom?" Henry complained as he sat down on the edge of his bed. "I don't like the idea of her being with him any longer than she has to."

"I feel the same way, Henry, but we can't go there without being at our best," Regina rationalized, though she was just as eager to go get Emma as Henry was. Henry huffed as he flopped back onto the bed. Regina had just walked into the bathroom to freshen up a bit when she heard her phone go off.

"Ma?" she heard Henry ask and frowned at her reflection in the mirror. "Ma, are you there?" This was the third time today that Emma has called her phone. "Ma, calm down, what's going on?" Regina turned and walked out of the bathroom to see Henry's concerned expression as he sat up on the bed. "Ma, can you hear me? Ma!" Henry shot to his feet and looked at Regina, a fearful look in his eyes as he stayed silent, listening to something going on through the phone.

"Henry?" she asked as his eyes stared in horror at the phone for a moment, then slowly raised to hers. Her stomach felt like a heavy rock at his look.

"We need to get to her. Now." Henry grabbed the keys sitting on the counter by the coffee machine, the room key next to those, and then Regina's arm as he pulled her through the door that he hastily opened in a rush to rescue Emma.

"Henry, what's going on?" Regina asked as he dragged her towards the stairs. "Henry!"

"I heard smacking Mom," Henry said, his voice quivering. "I heard Ma's voice yelping and her crying." Regina snatched the car keys from his hand and moved down the stairs. Rage and worry were fueling her movements. Henry was right behind her, yanking the car door open and jumping in at nearly the same time that Regina was shoving the key in the ignition. The Mercedes roared to life and she prayed that no one get in her way. Everything in her screamed that she needed to be protecting Emma at this very moment. "Turn left up here," Henry stated as he followed the instructions of the GPS app on the phone.

They drove for a few more moments before Henry told her to pull over in front of a building. Regina was horrified at the conditions of the neighborhood; bags of trash lined the streets, people were laying on or in cardboard boxes next to the buildings, walls and doors were spray painted with what she could only guess were gang symbols, windows broken and glass littering the ground. "He brought her here?"

"I told you this was a bad neighborhood Mom," Henry said quietly, scooting closer to her and leading the way up the stairs into one of the buildings. The front door was sitting off-kilter, hanging by the top hinge. There were no security gates or steel doors or anything blocking access to the stairs.

"Bad isn't even the word I would describe for this place," Regina stated, following Henry up to the second floor. If the outside looked bad, the hallway was worse. Bags of trash lined the walls, creating a walking hazard; the smell of urine, feces, and rotting something was heavy in the air, nearly making Regina gag. She cringed as she watched a large rat amble from one pile of garbage to the next, and she was glad she was wearing a pair of boots. Henry stopped in front of one of the doors in the middle of the hallway, pressing his ear to the door to listen for a moment.

"No noise," he said before knocking. Somewhere down the hall a dog started barking from another apartment before the door opened.

"Henry?" Emma breathed out as she looked at her son in shock. "Regina?" Regina took a sharp breath as she took in Emma's features. Her eyes were red-rimmed and hollow looking, cheekbones jutting beneath sallow skin. Her once-beautiful blonde hair that had naturally curled itself was now dirty and greasy looking, and held in a short-looking ponytail as if Emma had cut it. Regina's eyes raked down the Savior's body and noted how her clothes hung loosely on her frame.

"Emma," Regina said quietly, noting the fearful yet surprised look in her eyes.

"You shouldn't be here," Emma says quickly, her eyes darting back and forth at the hall.

"Ma, we're not leaving without you," Henry states, pushing her inside the apartment and Regina follows, closing the door behind herself so none of the rats could sneak in.

"No, Killian will be back any moment, you need to go." Both Regina and Henry frown at the panic in her voice.

"We are not going anywhere, Miss Swan, unless you are coming home with us," Regina states firmly, noting how Emma's eyes dart down to the floor and she wraps her arms around herself, much like a frightened child.

"I can't leave Killian," she whimpers. "He's been here for me."

"Ma, I heard him hit you," Henry says angrily. Her eyes dart momentarily to his in shock before she starts shaking her head. "Yes, you must have pocket dialed Mom's phone, but when I answered, I heard him hitting and yelling at you."

"It was my fault," she muttered. Regina's frown deepened at the submissive confession. "I didn't have supper ready for him."

"Emma," Regina said softly, stepping forward towards the blonde. "Emma, look at me, please." Regina waited until Emma's fleeting gaze fell onto her hazel eyes. "What has he done to you? This isn't you."

"He's the only one who loves me," Emma muttered, jumping when Henry slammed his fist against the wall. The action, Regina noted, caused some of the plaster to fall from the ceiling.

"That's bullshit, Ma," Henry growled. "Grandma and Grandpa love you, I love you, Mom loves you. The whole town loves you."

"Henry," Regina warned, watching how Emma cowered away from their son. He catches her eye and she motions with her eyes at Emma. He sees her reaction to his raised voice and tries again, softer this time.

"Ma," he tries again, reaching for her, but she jerks away. The action worries them both. "Ma?"

"You need to leave," Emma snaps at them, moving further into the apartment and trying to tidy up the space. It was cleaner than the hallway, but all of the furniture looked ragged and worn out. A few papers were scattered here and there as if someone swiped them off of the table. Regina watched as Emma picked up the broken remains of a coffee cup. "If Killian sees you here he'll-"

"He'll what?" the pirate's voice boomed from the front door. Regina turned to see him smirking at her and Henry. "Regina, Henry, how nice to see you. You didn't tell me we had company Emma," he said, his heavy boot falls walking past Regina as she stood in the small hallway leading to the sitting quarters and kitchen. She could hear the malice laced in his voice. "Be a good wench and fetch us some drinks love," he said to Emma, and the blonde merely nodded and turned to go to the kitchen area. "How's good ol' Storybrooke?"

"Better without you around," Henry muttered, and Regina saw the glint of anger in the pirate's eye before she pulled Henry behind her a bit.

"Are you mouthing off to me boy?" Hook asked darkly. "Is this how you raised him Swan?" Emma was just about to him with a cup of something when he smacked her, causing her to yelp as the liquid poured over her and she crashed to the floor.

"Emma!" Regina yells, rushing to the blonde's side.

"You bastard!" Henry yells before throwing his weight into Hook, catching him off guard and slamming him into the wall.

"Henry!" both Emma and Regina yell, and the boy narrowly blocks the hook coming down at him with his forearm. Henry twists his arm away as if he was deflecting a sword blow like David had taught him, and brings his fist up under Hook's jaw, knocking his teeth together and sending his head crashing into the wall. He follows through with another blow to Hook's temple, knocking the pirate out.

"No, Killian," Emma sobs as she tries to crawl to the pirate but Regina holds her.

"Emma, stop," Regina pleads.

"Ma, listen to me," Henry says, kneeling down in front of her. Her eyes dart between Henry and Hook. "If he loved you, he wouldn't hit you, he wouldn't call you names." She pulled back into Regina's arms and Regina held her close. "If he had truly loved you, he wouldn't have tried to kill us all when he was a Dark One."

"He saved us though," she whimpered. Henry shook his head sadly.

"He wouldn't have had to if he didn't cause the problem in the first place. He was ungrateful to us all when we were trying to help you in the Underworld. We went with you because we love you and wanted you to be happy." Emma released a whimper as Regina held her closer, and Regina became worried when she could feel Emma's ribs through the clothes.

"Have you been eating?" Regina asked her, and Emma shook her head. "Emma…"

"There's barely any time to eat between work and keeping the house clean."

"I think the only way to keep this place clean is to condemn it," Regina stated, pulling Emma up with her as she stood. "Come on, you're coming with us."

"But what about-?"

"We leave him," Henry says, holding his head high. "He is nothing but bad for you Ma. Who you need is holding you right now." Emma glances at Regina and Regina gives her a soft smile.

"Let's go home," Regina says, leading Emma out of the dump of an apartment and helps her into the passenger seat of the car. Emma fidgets as they pull away from the place. Both Regina and Henry worry that there may be more problems than they first thought, but as a family they know they can handle them.

**SQSQSQSQ**

"What are we doing here?" Emma asked as Regina pulled up to the hotel and parked the car.

"It's late and we need to rest before traveling the remaining five hours back home," Regina explained as Henry climbed out of the car and waited at the door for them to get out as well. Regina watched as Emma fidgeted in the seat. "Emma-"

"I can't go back, I have my jobs and the apartment and Killian," Emma started rambling before Regina reached over and took her hand in hers.

"Emma, I'm not letting you go back to that," she said softly but noted a flash of fear in Emma's eyes. What the hell did he do to you? Regina thought sadly. "Like Henry said, he was abusing you. Has been for some time now, even when we were in Storybrooke. Everyone turned a blind eye to it though because you seemed happy with him. I only wanted you happy Emma." Emma tentatively raised her eyes to meet Regina's, searching to make sure she was telling the truth. Regina gave her a small smile. "Come on, let's get you up to our room and cleaned up, you look like you could use a shower."

"I have no clothes with me," Emma muttered.

"You can borrow mine, or Henry's if you'd prefer," Regina stated before getting out of the car and going to Emma's side.

"Henry. He's gotten bigger since I saw him," Emma commented as she got out of the car. Regina hummed in agreement. "Where did he learn to hit like he did?"

"Football practice I suppose," Regina answered, guiding Emma into the building and up to their room.

"You're safe now Ma," Henry said as he held the door open for them. "Mom and I won't let anyone hurt you anymore." Emma gave him a broken smile.

"Thanks kid." Regina removed her coat and hung it up, then ushered Emma into the bathroom.

"Go ahead and strip down while I get the water warmed up for you," Regina said, turning her back to Emma and turning the nob for the water.

"You don't have to do this Regina," Emma said quietly, not moving to remove her clothes yet.

"But I want to," Regina said, turning her head to catch Emma's eye. She noticed how Emma was holding her arm and frowned. "Need some help?"

"I'm fine." Emma worked on getting her pants off and Regina turned back to the water, sticking her hand under the faucet and deeming it warm enough turned the shower head on.

"I'll be right back, I'm going to grab my shampoo and body wash for you to use," she explained as she stepped out of the room and grabbed the bag she had brought along, plopping it on the end of the bed and pulled out the toiletries and laid out her spare clothes for Emma to wear.

"How is she doing?" Henry asked from his bed. Regina sighed.

"I think she's calming down now," Regina said. Henry nodded and Regina went back into the bathroom. She was surprised to see Emma sitting on the toilet with just her shirt still on.

"I can't get it off," she muttered over the running water. Regina set the bottles down by the sink.

"Raise your arms," she said, but Emma shook her head.

"I can't." Regina frowned at the words that came out much like a whimper.

"What do you mean you can't?"

"I can't lift my arm," Emma said fearfully.

"Okay," she acknowledged, pulling on the shirt to stretch it out and helped Emma pull her arms through the holes before slipping it over the blonde's head. Regina had to struggle to hold on to the gasp when she looked at Emma's body. It was worse than she had initially feared. "When was the last time you ate?" Regina asked as she counted Emma's ribs.

"Yesterday, I think," Emma said, "I've just been busy." Emma got up and entered the shower, closing the curtain behind her. Regina only took a moment before she stripped down as well and, grabbing the bottles, stepped into the shower behind Emma. "Regina, what are you doing?" Emma sounded alarmed as she came chest to chest with the naked brunette.

"You can't lift your arm, and your hair is filthy," Regina said, as if it was the easiest answer, which it was.

"I can do it myself," Emma argued, anger flaring for a moment in her eyes. Regina just looked patiently into green orbs staring at her.

"Emma, let me take care of you, please." Regina watched as the anger fled and Emma conceded. Everyone knew that Regina Mills didn't say "please" often. For her to do so meant something must be very wrong. Emma turned around and let the water run over her body. Regina reached back out for a second for the washcloth, soaked it in the spray of the water, then lathered it up with her apple body wash. "Thank you," she said quietly as she started washing circles gently on Emma's back. Emma sighed at the contact, the tender care that Regina was taking with her. Regina's chocolate orbs took in every part of Emma's body, from the scars on her back to the fading yellow-green bruise on her shoulder that she couldn't move. Regina wanted to kiss the spot but thought that it might freak Emma out. Instead she made sure all the filth was being washed down the drain with the water and suds. She bent down as she washed over Emma's ass and down her legs, noticing more scars on her thighs. "Turn around." Emma did as she was told, grabbing onto Regina's shoulder for support as she turned. Regina washed back up the long pale legs until she was eye level with Emma's crotch. She wasn't aroused by the sight, just more like startled at the sight of dark blonde curls over the region.

"I'll wash there," Emma said, and when Regina looked up she saw her cheeks blushing from embarrassment.

"Right," Regina coughed, carefully standing up and washing Emma from the stomach up. She wanted to cry, running her fingers and the washcloth over Emma's thin body. No one should look like this. She took extra care around Emma's breasts, and noticed that Emma closed her eyes at the caresses.

"Why are you doing this Regina?" Emma asked when the brunette was working on washing her arms just a moment later.

Because I love you, you idiot, Regina thought to herself. "Because this time the Savior needs saving," she answered, refusing to meet Emma's eyes. "And to remind you that people do care about you." Regina hung the cloth on the small bar against the inside wall and brought her hands up to Emma's hair. "Lean your head back into the water." Emma did so and Regina made sure her hair was completely wet before putting in the shampoo and lathering it up. She turned Emma around carefully as she massaged her scalp, trying to get all of the dirt and grease free from the beautiful locks. Emma hummed in content at the feeling of Regina's fingers massaging her, but tensed when the brunette went to pull her hand out and accidentally pulled hard at a snarl. "You're safe Emma, you're okay," Regina soothed and Emma relaxed again as the shampoo was rinsed out. "You're all done," Regina told her but made no move to leave the shower herself.

"Regina?" Emma asked tentatively. When she heard a hum of a response she continued. "Would you just sit with me, here, in the shower?" She looked over her shoulder and saw Regina smiling at her.

"Of course." Regina sat down first, making sure her back was all the way to the wall and her legs spread in a V to allow Emma to sit comfortably as possible in the small tub. Emma leaned back into Regina and rested her head near her shoulder as the warm water sprayed over them, Regina's arms curling around her to hold her. Emma tensed for just a moment at the motion before Regina kissed her temple. "You're safe now Emma, I've got you." The blonde couldn't hold back anymore and the sobs, the memory of pain and rejection, started coming out. She turned slightly, burying her face into Regina's neck as the older woman held her protectively and whispered that she was safe and loved. She cried until the tears wouldn't come anymore.

Regina's heart broke as she held Emma close while the blonde sobbed. She always knew Emma to be strong, the one to rein in her emotions. For her to break down like this… everything must be hitting her at once, Regina rationalized. As much as her heart broke though, it also soared having her love in her arms, to be the one offering comfort and protection to her. When the water finally turned cold, Regina coaxed Emma up and out of the shower. She wrapped one of the big fluffy towels around Emma's small, tired frame before doing the same for herself and walking them both out of the bathroom. Henry saw the door open and got up, moving things off the bed and turning down the covers for his mothers to lay down. Regina shot him a grateful smile as she tucked Emma in. She reassured Emma she would be right back and moved back to the bathroom to change back into the clothes she came in.

"You're re-wearing your clothes?" Henry teased quietly as he leaned against the bathroom door once she was dressed.

"The other clothes are for Emma to wear. I'll be fine until we get home," she said as she gathered the soaps and tidied the bathroom.

"She's passed out right now," he relayed, taking the soap bottles from her and moved to put them back in the travel bag. "I heard her crying."

Regina hugged Henry and kissed his forehead. "She's going to be hurting for a while. The best we can do for now is to just be there for her."

"You should show her the pages Mom." Regina pulled back and stared at him. "I think it'd give her a new hope." She gave him a small smile.

"I know your heart is in the right place, Henry, but I think for now she just needs to recover." His shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I guess you're right." Regina chuckled at his confession as he looked over at Emma. "I just want her to be happy. You're good for her Mom."

"I know, my prince. We're both good for her."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Wow, there's lots of love going on for this story. I love you guys. Really, I do. So this is going to be the last chapter of this little story. Hopefully I can get it written before any more bad luck befalls me (I just dropped my computer while writing this chapter and now I am working with a cracked screen. :'( )
> 
> If you want me to continue as a sequel, let me know. I have some ideas floating around but nothing solidified as of yet. VIVA LA SWAN QUEEN!

It was later in the night as Regina and Henry were sharing the bed when she woke up hearing whimpers. She got up and turned on the bedside lamp to see Emma thrashing in the bed, muttering "no"s and her face contorted in pain. "Emma," Regina called softly to the blonde, not wanting to scare or startle her but needing her to wake up. "Emma, you're okay," Regina tried again when Emma didn't stop. In fact, it seemed like it was getting worse.

"Mom?" Henry's sleepy voice was laced with worry, but Regina ignored him to focuas on the blonde.

"Emma," Regina tried again, placing her hand on her shoulder and shook her slightly, but that was the wrong move. Emma's eyes shot open and she bounced away from Regina, a wild look in her eyes begging whoever was just touching her not to hurt her.

"Please, don't hurt me, I won't do it again, I swear," Emma sobbed out as she curled into a ball on the bed. Regina's heart kept breaking into pieces seeing Emma like this, and she swore if that pirate ever made it back to Storybrooke that she would kill him and he would stay dead this time.

"Emma, you're okay, you're safe, it's only me," Regina gently said, slowly moving to sit on the bed next to Emma. If anything, she felt like she was one of the handlers for a caged wild animal like on the shows she used to let Henry watch when he was younger, trying to coax the animal to calm down and trust them.

"Regina?" Emma questioned, her mind finally waking up out of the nightmare enough to see the brunette. She gave Emma a warm smile, and Emma launched herself into Regina's arms. The towel from the earlier shower had fallen off of her in her sleep but that didn't bother Regina at all. She simply held onto Emma while the frail woman cried.

"You're safe my dear, I won't let anyone get you," Regina murmured against Emma's hair, letting one hand trail the bare skin of Emma's back while Emma buried her head under her chin. She moved the two of them in a laying position, Emma curled on her chest, and Henry moved to cover them up with the blankets he untangled. Regina mouthed a thanks to him, which he acknowledged with a nod and laid back down on the other bed.

It took some time before Emma calmed down, but Regina guessed it was exhaustion that did the blonde in as she heard a little snore come from the blonde laying on her. Regina released a small chuckle and continued to run her fingers over Emma's back and pressed a kiss to the top of the mess of blonde hair. "What did he do?" Henry asked quietly. Regina cast her eyes over to the teen, seeing his eyes watch Emma's sleeping form. "This isn't my Ma, this is just a shell that looks like her."

"I thought you were asleep Henry," Regina whispered to him. He shook his head.

"How could I fall asleep after seeing that Mom?" he asked her. "He broke her. She was damaged before she left home, but he just flat out broke her."

"We'll fix her Henry," Regina promised. "She's going to know she is loved and wanted by us, and your grandparents, and everyone."

"What if he shows up again?" Henry asked, anger entering his words.

"We protect her. When we get home, Henry, I'm going to have her stay with us."

"As it should be," Henry snorted, and Regina grinned, knowing he was referencing the pages that were safely tucked into his backpack.

"I'm going to ask Snow to take over the Mayor's office while I stay home with her," Regina explained.

"She already said that was her plan when I talked to her earlier," Henry said. "I called her when you two were in the shower," he explained as Regina cast him a questioning look. "She and Grandpa are worried about her too, and though they wanted to greet us when we got home, Grandpa had her agree to give Ma some space until she was ready. They are going to keep the town running while we make Ma our number one priority."

"Sometimes I wonder if you are really only fourteen," Regina joked.

"Why don't we just call me fifteen already? We both know my birthday is next month." They both laughed quietly for a moment before their eyes went back to the blonde. Regina's hand never stopped stroking her back, fingers gliding gently over the ridges of her spine.

"She's going to need some good meals in her," Regina commented out loud.

"Not too fast though," Henry replied. "We're going to have to take it little bits at a time, like they did with the concentration camp survivors back in World War Two." Regina cocked an eyebrow at him and he shrugged. "I found a documentary that interested me."

"She probably has been eating normal food Henry, unlike the broth that those prisoners had. But she'll have to have smaller portions otherwise she'll get sick. And she'll need new clothes."

"Grandma said to give her the size and she'll buy them." Regina smiled, glad once again that she and Snow had mended their relationship. They worked much better as a team for the good of the town and their family now days. "What time is it?" she asked after a few moments of silence. Henry shifted and looked at her cell phone, plugged in on the nightstand between the beds.

"It's about six," he said, suppressing a yawn behind a fist. "Check out is at nine."

"Set the alarm for eight please. Try to get some sleep, my prince."

"You too Mom," he said after setting the alarm and laying down. They both knew they wouldn't be able to sleep, not until they got Emma home where they knew they were safe.

**SQSQSQSQSQ**

"I can't go back." Regina looked over at Emma in the passenger seat. "I can't face them."

"Who can't you face Emma?" Regina asked. When the alarm on her phone went off it took a little bit to wake Emma up, and Henry took their bags down to the car as she helped Emma get dressed. He even tossed the clothes that Emma had come in out in the dumpster after saving her wallet from the jeans like Regina had told him to do. They wanted no reminders of the world that they just rescued her from.

"My parents, the town. I failed them, they won't want me now."

"Emma," Regina said, reaching out with her right hand to grasp Emma's. "You didn't fail anyone, okay? And you don't have to face anyone until you are ready to." They had been on the road for a few hours now, and home was just forty minutes away at this point. "I do want to know what damage your body has though." Emma pulled her hand back and curled up into a ball on the seat. She still wasn't able to lift her arm without being in severe pain, and that worried Regina. If Emma's shoulder was hurt, what else was injured on her?

"Hey Ma, did I tell you that I threw the game-winning pass at our homecoming football game?" Henry piped up from the backseat as he sensed a bit of tension coming from the front.

"I think I remember that conversation," Emma said as she looked out the window.

"I'm glad that Mom opened up the border a bit to allow stuff like that to happen." Emma merely nodded but stayed silent. Regina sighed softly to herself as she continued to drive. When they crossed the town line she watched as Emma tensed up, picking at one of the buttons on the borrowed blouse.

"You're going to be fine Emma," Regina told her, grasping one of the blonde's hands. "I'm going to be right there with you, okay?"

"Why are you doing this Regina?" Emma asked.

"Because I want to. Because I care about you Emma," she responded, giving the hand a small squeeze. "You will not be alone, not anymore."

**SQSQSQSQSQ**

"Henry, why don't you take the car to your grandparents' house and see if Snow has some of Emma's old clothes," Regina said when they got to the hospital, handing the keys over to him.

"Okay Mom, just call me when you guys are done." Regina nodded as he got in and drove away.

"You're letting the kid drive?" Emma asked in shock. "He's not even sixteen!"

"David has been teaching him," Regina said, ushering Emma inside the automatic doors. "And as much as I dislike the idea of him driving, I want some of your stuff to be at the house for when we get home and this the easiest way."

"Home?" Emma asked quietly as Regina walked up to the reception desk, ordering the nurse to get an ER room ready for Emma as well as having one of the female doctors on staff tending to her. The nurse nodded, took Emma's vitals and ushered them to a room.

"Yes dear, I want you to stay with me and Henry at the mansion," Regina confirms, tucking a stray strand of hair behind Emma's ear. "Unless you don't want to?"

Emma's eyes cast downward. "I don't have anywhere else to go, unless it's back to Snow and David."

"As much as I have mended things with them, I don't agree they are the best choice for you right now," Regina informs. "Neal is hitting the terrible twos and as much as Snow has good intentions, she would just be too much for you." Before Emma could respond, the doctor came in and Regina demanded that there be x-rays done, as well as blood tests. Emma cringed at the take-charge attitude but Regina wanted to know exactly what damages Emma had going on besides her fragile state of mind. All the while she watched Emma closely, moving to soothe the frazzled blonde when she seemed to be close to panicking.

Finally when all tests were done and they were just waiting for results, Regina took Emma into her arms and held her. Emma had been shaking like a leaf when they were taking the blood samples even though Regina held her free hand. Emma simply curled up into Regina's embrace and Regina ran her hand over her back like she did at the hotel. Nothing was said between the women, not even when the doctor came in and showed the fractured shoulder that Emma sported and several other healing breaks and fractures. She also informed that the bloodwork showed malnutrition (Regina rolled her eyes at the obvious) and prescribed a pain medicine for the shoulder. Regina texted Henry to return while Emma got dressed again, and shortly after they were at the mansion. Regina helped Emma up the stairs to the second floor and led her to her bedroom. Emma hesitated for a moment before Regina took her hands and, smiling kindly at the blonde, walked backwards into the room.

"Regina…" Emma started but Regina shook her head.

"This room is yours now too. I don't want you to be alone or scared that someone is going to harm you. I promise to be here and protect you Emma."

"Regina," Emma's eyes glistened with tears and Regina started thinking that it was too much too fast for the blonde before Emma wrapped her arms around her. "Thank you." Regina stroked the blonde hair on the head under her chin.

"You're welcome, my dear."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: This is the end of this ficlet. I know there wasn't much revenge but if you, my fabulous fans, would like a sequel, let me know.


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